A set of interesting links and resources about Agriculture in the modern era.

Pesticide Use in U.S. Agriculture: 21 Selected Crops, 1960-2008 – http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1424185/eib124.pdf

Notable is how pesticide use has decreased in a lot of crops over time, or transitioned to more targeted / less human toxic. We used to put some crazy stuff on our crops and then eat it.